Local grapplers earn state berths

PALM COAST -- DeLand's Jacob Browning and Flagler Palm Coast's JZ Williams were the only champions Saturday from the area after a hard two days of wrestling in the Region 1-3A championships.

Browning (103 pounds) and Williams (135) were among the wrestlers qualifying for next week's Class 3A state championship finals after bouts were settled Saturday at Flagler Palm Coast. Browning (103) and teammate Christian Lohsen (125) of DeLand, Williams (135) and Nick Michael (140) of FPC and Deltona's Tyler Andreasson (189) all were regional championship finalists.

Browning, a two-time state qualifier, won his first regional championship with a 6-3 decision over Lake Mary's Chuck Weiss and took personal satisfaction after a third-place finish the week before at districts.

"Last weekend, I was cocky. I came in thinking I already had it won," said Browning, DeLand's all-time career victories leader. "This week, I was more focused."

Williams missed the 2010 championship series because of injury and it's his first time qualifying for the state tournament. He was plenty motivated in an 8-5 decision over Lake Brantley's Matt Shropshire, a much closer result than a win by major decision he captured over Shropshire during the holidays.

First-year program University got its first state qualifier when the Titans' Nick Weaver, the son of assistant coach Matt Weaver got to the 119-pound consolation finals. Weaver, who lost to Lyman's Abdiel Velasquez in the morning semifinals, bounced back with a semifinal win in wrestlebacks but lost in the consolation finals to Apopka's Tim Te.

REGION 4-2A

Seabreeze advanced two wrestlers to next week's state tournament with 112-pound Mike Sampson and 171-pound Chris Siedelhofer. Both Sandcrab grapplers are first-time state qualifiers after a weekend's wrestling at Jensen Beach. Sampson (112) reached the third- and fourth-place consolation finals after going 2-1 Friday night and 2-0 Saturday Two other Seabreeze competitors, Garrett Swerigen (160) and Sebastian Caliendo (152), were knocked out in the earlier rounds.

REGION 2-1A

Matanzas advanced three wrestlers to next week's state tournament after action this weekend at Lakeland Teneroc High School.

They include 103-pound junior Alex White, a two-time state qualifier and first-time qualifiers Garrett Dennis (160) and Zack Epps (130). White and Epps got to the Saturday championship round final in their respective weight divisions, while Dennis was wrestling for third place.

The Pirates qualified 13 wrestlers for the Region 2 tournament and had four in the semifinals of the championship round Saturday morning. Tony Mendez, Matanzas' 215-pound contender lost two matches and was bounced, and the other seven Pirate wrestlers all were eliminated over the course of the tournament.

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